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The Return of Ultraman
is the fourth installment of the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, it was broadcast from April 2, 1971 to March 31, 1972 on TBS, with a total of 51 episodes. The series is a follow-up of Ultraseven. The series was followed one week after its end by Ultraman Ace. Eiji Tsuburaya had originally intended for the Ultra Series to end with the 1967 series Ultraseven. Ultraman proved to be too popular a character to omit. Eiji Tsuburaya died in 1970. His son Hajime Tsuburaya (who took over Tsuburaya Productions until his own death in 1973) revived the Ultra Series with Return of Ultraman. The show features a new Ultraman named , or just . In 1984, he was renamed due to licensing issues. Tsuburaya and Bandai (which had just bought the Ultraman toy license in Japan) held a contest for children to pick a new name for this Ultraman. Although he is called "Ultraman Jack" for licensing in and out of Japan, he is still sometimes referred to as "New Ultraman"/"Kaettekita Ultraman", by some fans (and also in some official sources). This change was done due to a last-minute decision as the original plan for this series was for the original Ultraman to return to Earth to resume the fight against aliens and monsters. While nearly identical in appearance to the original Ultraman, the red pattern on his silver suit is slightly different. Furthermore, the new Ultraman can be distinguished by his shorter pants, the pinstripes along the red areas, and the fuller sleeves/kneepads. The characters and related events are described below using in-universe tone. Due to the mid-season addition of 'Ultraman' being Ultraman Jack, the series reintroduced his predecessors, Ultraman and Seven to the series canon - Both his predecessors were originally in different canon 'universes' beforehand. This began a shared universe which continued throughout the Showa series, with Zoffy, Ultraman's superior, being reintroduced to the canon the following year in Ultraman Ace. Plot The series is set in 1971, four years after Ultraseven left Earth, and five years after Ultraman came to Earth. The first episode begins with a fight between two giant monsters named Takkong and Zazahn, in Tokyo. Amid the monster destruction, young race-car driver Hideki Go is killed while trying to rescue a little boy and a dog from the falling rubble. His valiant sacrifice is noted by everyone, including his friends and the new defense force MAT (Monster Attack Team), but an unseen being also takes notice. Looking over Hideki is "New Ultraman (Ultraman Jack)", who is so touched by the race car driver's heroism, that he decides to combine his life force with that of Hideki, thus bringing him back to life (just like the original Ultraman did with Shin Hayata), much to everyone's astonishment. MAT then asks Hideki to join the team, which he does, especially since in this frightening new "Age of Monsters" Earth will need a savior. In times of crisis, Hideki will raise his right arm and, by force of will, transform into Ultraman Jack to fight monsters. In addition, Ultraman and Ultraseven are watching Jack's brave fighting from the sidelines, and offer their help when Jack is in peril. Characters Ultras Allies MAT *Katsuhiro Kato *Ryu Ibuki *Takeshi Minami *Fumio Kishida *Ippei Ueno *Yuriko Oka Other Allies *Ken Sakata *Aki Sakata *Jiro Sakata *Rumiko Murano *Kishida *Satake *Masaru Kondo *Kaji *Other Ultras Monsters & Aliens *Takkong (1, 2) *Zazahn (1) *Earthtron (1) *Sadora (3) *Detton (3) *Kingsaurus III (4) *Gudon (5, 6) *Twin Tail (5, 6) *Gorbagos (7) *Ghostron (8) *Dangar (9) *Stegon (10) *Mognezun (11) *Shugaron (12) *Seamons (13, 14) *Seagorath (13, 14, 37) *Eledortus (15) *Terochilus (16, 17) *Bemstar (18, 37) *Sartan (19) *Magnedon (20) *Beacon (21) *Gokinezula (22) *Zanika (23) *Vacuumon (23) *Kupukupu/Kingstron (24) *Zagorath (25) *Nokogirin (26) *Gronken (27) *Varricane (28) *Yadokarin (29) *Oxter (30) *Plooma (31) *Alien Zelan (31) *King Maimai (Larva and adult forms; 32) *Alien Mates (33) *Muruchi (33) *Leogon (34) *Pris-Ma (35) *Draculas/Vampire Woman (36) *Black King (37, 38) *Alien Nackle (37, 38) *Alien Varduck (39) *Alien Black (40) *Snowgon (40) *Alien Baltan Jr. (41) *Builgamo (41) *Alien Stora (42) *Paragon (42) *Alien Grotes (43) *Kodaigon (43) *Granadas (44) *Alien Kentauros (44) *Robonez (45) *Alien Cygnus-61 "Erika" (45) *Alien Messie (45) *Alien Zoole (46) *Red Killer (46) *Femigon (47) *Yametaranese (48) *Sasahiller (48) *Alien Mysteler (Good and evil; 49) *King Bockle (50) *Alien Bat (51) *Zetton II (51) Arsenal *Will Power *MAT Shot *MAT Gun *Laser Gun SP-70 *Space Laser Gun *MAT Bazooka *Super Canon *MN Bomb *Spiner *Monster Sonar *Saturn Z *X Bullet *Frozen Bullet *Automatic Pistol *MAT Arrow No. 1 *MAT Arrow No. 2 *MAT Jail *Space Arrow *MAT Bicycle *MAT Jeep *Special Heat-Ray Gun Car *MAT Sub Episodes # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Movies # (Movie version of episodes 5 & 6) # (Movie version of episodes 13 & 14) # (Movie version of episode 29) Cast * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : Guest cast * : * : * : * : * : * : Voice actors * : , (50) * : * , , , , : * , : * : * , , : * : Suit actors * : * : * : * , : , , , , , , Theme song * **Lyrics: Kyoichi Azuma **Composition: Koichi Sugiyama **Artist: Jiro Dan, Misuzu Children's Choral Group Manga A manga series by Akira Mizuho ran in '' from May to December 1971. External links *'' '' at Wikipedia